"Consistently called for cessation of hostilities": Kamboj on India playing mediatory role to resolve Russia-Ukraine conflict

New York [US], December 29 : India's Permanent Ambassador to United Nations Ruchira Kamboj on Wednesday underscored New Delhi's stand on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and said that India has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the violence.
Responding to a question asked on how India is playing a mediatory role to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war, Kamboj stated how time and again, India has called upon both sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue and has also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
"India has consistently called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and an end to the violence. India has called upon both sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue and has also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict," Kamboj told ANI.
The UN Ambassador also highlighted the recent telephonic conversation that took place between the Ukrainian President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 27 this year in which he assured India's commitment to continue providing humanitarian assistance for the affected civilian population.
Zelenskyy, in a phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, sought India's help in the implementation of a peace formula with Russia.
PM Modi strongly reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, saying that both sides should revert to dialogue and diplomacy to find a lasting solution to their differences, read Prime Minister's Office press release.
He also conveyed India's support for any peace efforts and assured India's commitment to continue providing humanitarian assistance for the affected civilian population, added the release.
"I had a phone call with PM Modi and wished a successful G20 presidency. It was on this platform that I announced the peace formula and now I count on India's participation in its implementation. I also thanked for humanitarian aid and support in the UN," tweeted the Ukrainian President.
Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine conveyed his best wishes for India's Presidency of the G20.
Regarding India's role, Ambassador Kamboj further added by throwing light on PM Modi's statement to President Zelensky in which he reaffirmed that India supports any peace effort and is committed to continuing to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected civilian population.
"The prime minister, the Indian Prime minister, has spoken to the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia on multiple occasions and reiterated India's position, including with President Zelensky of Ukraine on 27 December this year. The external affairs minister has also explained our stance on multiple occasions. As far as your question on what role India is playing, I can only quote what the Indian Prime Minister told President Zelensky recently that India supports any peace effort and we are committed to continuing to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected civilian population," Kamboj said.
Sharing views on UN reforms, India's Permanent ambassador underlined the fact that reform of the same Security Council is the need of the hour as a majority of member states feel the need for the same to take place.
"We know that the discussions on reforms have been meandering aimlessly, with a few countries using the smokescreen of consensus to avoid any progress. Meanwhile, the world is changing and has changed dramatically, be it in terms of economic prosperity, technology capabilities, political influence, and developmental progress. There is an overwhelming majority of member states feel that reforms are the need of the hour," the ambassador added.
This year at the UNGA, more than 70 leaders made a strong case for reforms throughout the high-level week. The goal of a new multilateral system's orientation, or norms as we call them in India, is to increase multilateralism's effectiveness and legitimacy in the eyes of the international community and the general public worldwide.
India hosted a special meeting of the UN Security Council's CTC in October to discuss terror financing through crypto-currency and the use of drones in the new-age terrorism. On October 29, the CTC unanimously adopted the Delhi Declaration on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
The Declaration included a list of actions, including the choice to keep working on the three themes of the Special Meeting's recommendations and the intention to create a set of non-binding guiding principles to help member states counter the threat posed by the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
India's Permanent ambassador recalled the special meeting held in India, which resulted in the landmark Delhi Declaration. "And this was followed up by a presidential statement on counter-terrorism in December during our current presidency," she added.
Summing up India's tenure as a UNSC member and its December presidency, Kamboj quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say that India used the prestige and experience of being the largest democracy in the world for the benefit of the whole world.